Starlight is memory
by batgirl2992
Summary: Movieverse oneshot: Glóin tells his wee lad a bedtime story, recalling Middle Earth's Romeo & Juliet. Desolation of Smaug spoilers.


**Starlight is memory  
**_Batgirl 2992_

Glóin tells his wee lad a bedtime story, recalling Middle Earth's Romeo & Juliet.

_A/N: Obviously since Tauriel isn't in the books this is speculation about what will happen in part 3. I'm also assuming Gimli is like 10 in the Desolation of Smaug, which I imagine to be like four in human development years, since they live for 200+ years. This is set 10 years after the battle of the five armies so Gimli is like the equivalent of a human eight year old. I don't own anything blah, blah, blah…_

"In the woodland realm, there was a she-elf, they called her Tauriel and she was beloved by the prince Legolas and his father Thranduil. However the King would not see his son pledged to a captain of the guard, so Tauriel hardened her heart to the idea of a happily ever after with the prince.

One day, during a routine decimation of the spiders of Dol Guldur, the hunting party came across a pack of 13 dwarves. One had the nerve to ask her for a weapon, as if he could help her in the fight. She refused.

As their leader was brought before the king, Tauriel and her men locked up the remaining dwarves in the king's dungeons. That one dwarf, he flirted with her, practically begging to be searched for weapons, just to feel the pale skin of her hand once more.

Later that evening, as if possessed, Tauriel found herself talking with the dwarf. He was taller than most, but it was his wit and the sincerity in his voice that captured her. Hours passed, the echoes of an Elven celebration reverberated from the halls above, never knowing that a jealous prince watched from the shadows as Tauriel and Kili slowly became infatuated with one another."

"Da. I don't understand. How could Kili love a pathetic Elven princess?" the wee voice came from deep below a pile of blankets.

"Gimli, lad. I thought you wanted a bedtime story," Glóin huffed frustrated with his young son.

"If Kili hadn't loved that elf, he'd be king under the mountain," Gimli huffed. "It is a disgrace to the legacy of the dwarves."

"Lad, if he hadn't loved that she-elf, he never would have survived to see the battle of the five armies," Glóin countered preparing to leave.

Gimli's head popped out of the mountain of blankets, whispering accusatorily. "You sound like Dain, working with elves…"

Glóin ignored his son, returning to his position at the foot of the bed, "riding in wine barrels we escaped from the woodland realm, but not before Kili took a Morgul shaft to his leg, shot from an orc's bow. Poison was spreading through his veins, but the lad, he fought on, determined to see the Lonely Mountain, the homeland he had never set eyes upon, before the poison consumed him.

Thorin would not let Kili make the trek to the mountain, for time was growing short. The last light of Durin's day was upon us. Where Kili went, so did Fili and the brothers stayed in Lake-Town as we sped toward the secret door and the dragon sleeping in our home.

Death was knocking as Kili wasted away and we at the Mountain heard the dragon wake. I don't know much of what happened, but Tauriel appeared, using her Elven medicine to save him. Just in time too, soon Smaug attacked the town and everything began to burn."

"But Lake-Town is fine Da."

"Hush lad.

Bard made his way, to shoot the final black arrow. His aim true, he skewered the dragon where his ancestor had shot away a single scale. Proving that sometimes a fairytale can be true.

But there was no time to rejoice in victory or reclaim our home. The armies of Dol Guldur descended on us. For hours we fought as elves and men fell. But back to back, trusting across species, Kili and Tauriel tore through legions of orcs, axe and arrow.

Victory was upon us as Azog the defiler had his rematch with Thorin. The elves slew orcs by the hundreds and I wielded my axe as deftly as any dwarf can, but all sounds of battle ceased in a single moment. The sheer devastation that echoed from the throats of Thorin's sister-sons, tore every solider from his fury. Azog's blade had torn Thorin, insides spilling out.

Kili, always reckless, charged first; Fili only moments behind as the two tore forward to smote down their uncle's murderer. But the defense of our king, cost them both their lives.

Tauriel maddened by grief tore across the battle field, felling every dark beast in her way. She reached the brothers shortly before they passed, her fingers entwined with Kili's as his final breath left his lips. She stood guard over the bodies of the last of the line of Thrain as we decimated the few orcs left on the battlefield.

Later, when we brokered peace with the elves, I heard that she had disappeared. Rumor said that she'd passed on into the west."

"Is that what you think Da?"

"She was a warrior son. I think she is the reason we haven't seen a spider from Dol Guldur in the last ten years." Glóin turned his head toward the stars, having chosen to live along the outer wall of Erebor many years ago. Remembering Tauriel's speech to Kili in the dungeon all those years ago, strongly declaring that starlight is memory. "I'd say she walks amongst the stars."

"What about that Elvish princeling?" the young Gilmi asked tentatively.

"Ah, Legolas has no love for the dwarves." Glóin smiled, "I daresay don't go wandering into Mirkwood without an axe on your back my boy."

"I will never see the day when I trust an elf to cover my back in battle," Gimli declared with yawn.

Standing at the door, Glóin turned his head back toward his son. "We'll see son, we'll see."

* * *

A clap upon his back startled Glóin out of his musings.

"What do you say to a drink my old friend?" Elrond the half Elven asked.

"Aye, I'd never pass up that ale of yours." Glóin couldn't help himself. "Did they ever find Tauriel?"

"Her blade was found in the ruins at Dol Guldur many moons ago." Elrond replied gravely, "Why do you ask?"

"Watching those men, a wizard, a dwarf, four hobbits and an elf leave your gate together." Glóin pointed to the Fellowship walking the path out of Rivendell. "It reminds me of Kili, only dwarf I ever knew who trusted an elf at his back."

"In the end aren't we fighting for the same cause?" Elrond asked.

"Aye, following Gandalf's foolhardy quest to save Middle Earth." Glóin smiled accepting a flagon of ale from Elrond. "You know I think that ring will get destroyed."


End file.
